Hong Kong
CNN
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Headline: China Investigates Walmart Over Alleged Supplier Pressure Amid US Tariff Hikes officials summoned executives from the US retail giant on Tuesday to investigate whether it had pressured its suppliers in China for discounts to cope with rising tariffs imposed by Donald Trump, according to a state media report.
Trump doubled tariffs on all Chinese imports to 20% as of last week. In response, China has announced a fresh round of retaliatory tariffs, covering US agriculture imports, which took effect Monday.
Many businesses are struggling under Trump’s chaotic tariff announcements, which have escalated trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies. Retailers have told CNN that they may have to raise prices at a time when many customers are already feeling financial pressure and the pinch of inflation.
Last week, Bloomberg reported that Walmart was trying to find a solution to its tariff woes by asking some of its Chinese vendors for significant price cuts of as much as 10% to offset the impact of US levies.
According to a Wednesday post by Yuyuantantian, state broadcaster CCTV’s official social media account, Commerce Ministry officials requested the meeting with Walmart to “understand the situation.”
“If true, Walmart’s demand for Chinese suppliers to bear the full tariff burden is unreasonable and disrupts fair competition and international trade order,” the post said.
In a possible warning, it added that Chinese authorities could “take further action” if the American retailer continues to press its case for discounts. Even though asking suppliers to lower their prices isn’t unusual in China, it’s a tough proposition at the moment because many are already running their businesses with razor-thin margins.
In a statement to CNN, Walmart said its purpose was to help people “save money and live better.”
Walmart is getting caught in the middle of an escalating trade war between the United States and China.
Article:
Escalating US-China trade tensions have triggered a formal investigation by Chinese officials into retail giant Walmart. The probe centers on allegations that Walmart pressured its Chinese suppliers for substantial price cuts to mitigate the impact of Trump's tariffs.
This development follows Donald Trump's recent doubling of tariffs on Chinese imports to 20%, a move that has sent shockwaves through the global supply chain. In response, China has implemented retaliatory tariffs targeting US agricultural products, further intensifying the trade war.
The core of the investigation, as reported by state media outlet CCTV’s Yuyuantantian, involves Walmart's alleged demand that Chinese vendors absorb the full burden of the increased tariffs. According to reports, Walmart sought supplier discounts of up to 10% to offset the levied costs. Chinese Commerce Ministry officials summoned Walmart executives to "understand the situation," signaling serious concerns about potential unfair competition and disruption to the international trade order.
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